Martyna Plomecka1, Susanna Gobbi2, Rachael Neckels3, Piotr Radzinski4, Beata Skorko5, Samuel Lazzeri6, Kristina Almazidou7, Alisa Dedic8, Asja Bakalovic8, Lejla Hrustic8, Zainab Ashraf9, Sarvin Es Haghi10, Luis Rodriguez-Pino11, Verena Waller12, Hafsa Jabeen13, A Beyza Alp14, Mehdi Behnam1, Dana Shibli15, Zofia Baranczuk-Turska16, Zeeshan Haq17, Salah Qureshi17, Adriana Strutt18, Ali Jawaid19. 1. Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, CH. 2. Zurich Center for Neuroeconomics, University of Zurich, Zurich, CH. 3. Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Boise State University, Boise, US. 4. Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Mechanics, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, PL. 5. Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, PL. 6. Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, Groningen, NL. 7. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine , Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, GR. 8. Medical Faculty of University Tuzla, Tuzla, BA. 9. Faculty of Arts, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, CA. 10. Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR. 11. Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, ES. 12. Laboratory for Applied Radiobiology, Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, CH. 13. Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, PK. 14. Maltepe University, Istanbul, TR. 15. Faculty of Medicine, University of Jordan, Amman, JO. 16. Institute of Mathematics, University of Zurich, Zurich, CH. 17. Texas Behavioral Health, houston, US. 18. Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, US. 19. Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Ludwika Pasteura 3, Warsaw, PL.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence suggests that the Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has negatively impacted the mental health of individuals. However, the susceptibility of individuals to be impacted by the pandemic is variable suggesting potential influences of specific factors related to participants' demographics, attitudes, and practices. OBJECTIVE: To identify the factors associated with psychological symptoms related to the effects of the first wave of pandemic in a multi-country cohort of internet users. METHODS: This study anonymously screened 13,332 internet users worldwide for acute psychological symptoms related to COVID-19 pandemic from March 29th to April 14th, 2020 during the first wave of the pandemic amidst strict lockdown conditions. A total of n=12,817 responses were considered valid. n=1077 participants from Europe were screened a second time during May 15th to May 30th to ascertain the presence of psychological effects after the ease down of restrictions. RESULTS: Female gender, pre-existing psychiatric condition, and prior exposure to trauma were identified as notable factors associated with increased psychological symptoms during the first wave of COVID-19 (P <.001). The same factors, in addition to being related to someone who demised due to COVID-19 and using social media more than usual, were associated with persistence of psychological disturbances in the limited second assessment of European participants after the restrictions had relatively eased (P <.001). Optimism, ability to share concerns with family and friends like usual, positive prediction about COVID-19, and daily exercise were related to fewer psychological symptoms in both assessments (P <.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights a significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic at a worldwide level on the mental health of internet-users and elucidates prominent associations with their demographics, history of psychiatric disease risk factors, house-hold conditions, certain personality traits, and attitudes towards COVID-19.
BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence suggests that the Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has negatively impacted the mental health of individuals. However, the susceptibility of individuals to be impacted by the pandemic is variable suggesting potential influences of specific factors related to participants' demographics, attitudes, and practices. OBJECTIVE: To identify the factors associated with psychological symptoms related to the effects of the first wave of pandemic in a multi-country cohort of internet users. METHODS: This study anonymously screened 13,332 internet users worldwide for acute psychological symptoms related to COVID-19 pandemic from March 29th to April 14th, 2020 during the first wave of the pandemic amidst strict lockdown conditions. A total of n=12,817 responses were considered valid. n=1077 participants from Europe were screened a second time during May 15th to May 30th to ascertain the presence of psychological effects after the ease down of restrictions. RESULTS: Female gender, pre-existing psychiatric condition, and prior exposure to trauma were identified as notable factors associated with increased psychological symptoms during the first wave of COVID-19 (P <.001). The same factors, in addition to being related to someone who demised due to COVID-19 and using social media more than usual, were associated with persistence of psychological disturbances in the limited second assessment of European participants after the restrictions had relatively eased (P <.001). Optimism, ability to share concerns with family and friends like usual, positive prediction about COVID-19, and daily exercise were related to fewer psychological symptoms in both assessments (P <.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights a significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic at a worldwide level on the mental health of internet-users and elucidates prominent associations with their demographics, history of psychiatric disease risk factors, house-hold conditions, certain personality traits, and attitudes towards COVID-19.
Authors: Ion Papava; Liana Dehelean; Radu Stefan Romosan; Mariana Bondrescu; Cristian Zoltan Dimeny; Eugenia Maria Domuta; Felix Bratosin; Iulia Bogdan; Mirela Loredana Grigoras; Codruta Victoria Tigmeanu; Angelica Gherman; Iosif Marincu Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-05-26 Impact factor: 4.614
Authors: Elena Cachicatari-Vargas; Karimen Jetzabel Mutter Cuellar; Wender Florencio Condori Chipana; Flor de Maria Miranda Socasaire; Ángel Acevedo-Duque; Orfelina Arpasi-Quispe Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-09-12 Impact factor: 4.614